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The mini-Annals of Improbable Research ("mini-AIR")
Issue Number 2003-12
December, 2003
ISSN 1076-500X
Key words: improbable research, science humor, Ig Nobel, AIR, the
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A free newsletter of tidbits too tiny to fit in the
Annals of Improbable Research (AIR),
the journal of inflated research and personalities
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2003-12-01 TABLE OF CONTENTS
2003-12-01 Table of Contents
2003-12-02 What's New in the Magazine
2003-12-03 Santa Indifference
2003-12-04 Cleansing Power
2003-12-05 Surprised Winners
2003-12-06 Megalomaniac Survey Results
2003-12-07 No Frogs
2003-12-08 Interleg Coupling Backward Poets
2003-12-09 Columnar Improbability
2003-11-10 SCIENTISTS NOW KNOW: Hairball Insight
2003-12-11 Investigative Credentials
2003-12-12 Further Tea Scum Limerick Contest
2003-12-13 Hladick, Hladick, Hladick, Hladick
2003-12-14 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Elf Sparks
2003-12-15 BURSTS OF HotAIR: Again and again (and again)
2003-12-16 MAY WE RECOMMEND: On the Roof, Down the Drain
2003-12-17 AIRhead Events
2003-12-18 How to Subscribe to AIR (*)
2003-12-19 Our Address (*)
2003-12-20 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*)
2003-12-21 How to Receive mini-AIR, etc. (*)
Items marked (*) are reprinted in every issue.
mini-AIR is
a free monthly *e-supplement* to AIR, the print magazine
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2003-12-02 What's New in the Magazine
Volume 9, number 6 (November/December 2003) of the Annals of
Improbable Research (AIR) is the special IG NOBEL issue.
It will be emerging from the printer some time late this month.
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2003-12-03 Santa Indifference
Kids these days don't smile when they visit Santa Claus, according
to research performed a few days ago by Ig Nobel Prize winner John
W. Trinkaus. Professor Trinkaus observed children at two large
shopping malls and a major department store, noting each child's
facial expression as the children visited Santa Claus. Every child
was accompanied by a parent or guardian.
What Professor Trinkaus saw surprised and saddened him. More than
95 percent of the children were visibly indifferent or hesitant as
they approached Santa. Only one percent of them smiled or showed
other signs of happiness. On the other hand, Professor Trinkaus
noted, nearly all of the parents were visibly quite happy and
excited.
For details of the Santa research, see
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2003-12-04 Cleansing Power
We received this note from one of the 2003 Ig Nobel Prize winners,
and publish it as a quasi-public service:
"This is a quick warning to all 2003 Ig Nobel winners:
The precious award, the thing, it does not like water. When I ran
from TV studio to TV studio (in the rain) with mine, the
'inscription' slowly blurred into a blackish mass of ink. So
beware with rain, or if you want to make it shine, use some kind
of dry cloth. There have been tremendous media attention so far."
C.W.(Kees) Moeliker
Natuurmuseum Rotterdam
Rotterdam
The Netherlands
EDITOR'S NOTE, FOR ANYONE WHO IS SOMEHOW NOT YET AWARE OF THIS:
Dr. Moeliker was awarded the Ig Nobel Biology Prize for
documenting the first scientifically recorded case of homosexual
necrophilia in the mallard duck.
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2003-12-05 Surprised Winners
On a related theme, though in an earlier month, we received this
query:
"My father bought me the 'Ig Nobel Prizes' book for Christmas and
we were both rather surprised to discover his name within [Dr G.
Terry -- UK]. It seems that as a result of being one of some 976
co-authors of a paper in the New Jersey [sic] Medical Journal he
was awarded (along with half the world's cardiologists) the 1993
Ig Nobel Prize for Literature. What I was wondering was does this
entitle him to some form of certificate? The reason I'm enquiring
is that not only would any such award take pride of place on his
office wall, but would no doubt provide additional reassurance to
his patients."
Best regards,
Dr. Jon Terry
University of Edinburgh
EDITOR'S NOTE: As a result of Dr. Jon Terry's courageous inquiry,
the Ig Nobel Board of Governors will prepare a special certificate
for Dr. G. Terry, and one for each of his 975 co-winners. To
receive a certificate, each individual must get in touch with us,
supplying documentary evidence that she or he is a co-author.
Please also supply a left thumb print. The address is:
"I Am One of 976 Co-Authors"
c/o Annals of Improbable Research
PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238, USA
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2003-12-06 Megalomaniac Survey Results
Here are the results of this year's MEGALOMANIAC SURVEY (which was
partially inspired, as always, by R.A. Cleghorn's classic paper,
"Pitfalls in Thinking Big -- Megalomania").
The question was:
All things considered, if you want your child
to be a success, should you raise her or him
to be a megalomaniac?
Survey respondents replied in these proportions:
YES -- 74%
NO -- 26%
Those with further interest may wish to consult a recent report:
"Media Mania, Megalomania and Misleading Research: The Need for
Caution in Scientific Publication," A. Higgins, Veterinary
Journal, vol. 166, no. 3, November 2003, pp. 213-4.
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2003-12-07 No Frogs
Would the gentleman who mailed us the stuffed frogs please not
mail us any more stuffed frogs? Thank you.
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2003-12-08 Interleg Coupling Backward Poets
The judges in the first and last annual INTERLEG COUPLING BACKWARD
LOCOMOTION LIMERICK COMPETITION have chosen the winners, each of
whom in some sense explored the research report (well, in this
case, a book):
"Reversal of Interleg Coupling in Backward Locomotion
Implies a Prime Role of The Direction of Locomotion,"
D. Eilam, G. Shefer, Journal of Experimental Biology,
vol. 173, December 1992, pp. 155-63.
[for further details, see last month's mini-AIR]
The winners each will receive a free, backward-coupled issue of
the Annals of Improbable Research. Here are the poets and their
limericks:
INVESTIGATOR BARBARA ROBSON:
Eilam has raised a commotion
Reporting on rat locomotion:
They manage reversal
With little rehearsal.
Now Eilam is seeking promotion.
INVESTIGATOR BARRY CLARK:
A tunneling species of rat,
When grown uncommonly fat,
Must have, so I fear,
A good reverse gear,
Or likely he's stuck where he's at.
INVESTIGATOR WALTER BROWN:
Eilam and Shefer have found
That rats move two ways on the ground
They go forward and back --
Reverse gear they don't lack.
Such facts never fail to astound.
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2003-12-09 Columnar Improbability
We are not sure how this happened, but the editor of AIR and mini-
AIR has begun also writing a weekly newspaper column. It is called
"Improbable Research," and appears Tuesdays in the British
newspaper "The Guardian." Links to the first several columns are
at
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2003-11-10 SCIENTISTS NOW KNOW: Hairball Insight
The headline on the press release says it all:
"Scientists Devise New Nutritional Solution for Cat Hairballs."
An October 30, 2003 press release from the University of
Wisconson, Madison, gives details, which you can read at
. (Thanks to
investigator Jim Propp for bringing this to our attention.)
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2003-12-11 Investigative Credentials
Every subscriber to the Annals of Improbable Research is now being
issued credentials: an official Improbable Research Investigator
card. If you are a subscriber, watch for yours in the mail soon.
We trust they will prove useful.
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2003-12-12 Further Tea Scum Limerick Contest
We invite you to enter the first and last annual FURTHER TEA SCUM
LIMERICK COMPETITION, for the best (NEWLY composed!) limerick that
elucidates this research report, which was brought to our
attention by investigator Ben Strulo:
"Kinetics and Equilibria of Tea Infusion -- Part 13
-- Further Studies on Tea Scum: The Effects of
Calcium carbonate, Lemon Juice and Sugar,"
Michael Spiro, Yuen Ying Chong, and Deogratius Jaganyi,
Food Chemistry, vol 57, no 2, 1996, pp 295-8.
RULES: Please make sure your rhymes actually do, and that your
limerick at least pretends to adhere to classic limerick form.
PRIZE: The winning poet will receive a free, tea-stainable issue
of the Annals of Improbable Research. Send entries (one entry per
entrant) to:
FURTHER TEA SCUM LIMERICK CONTEST
c/o
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2003-12-13 Hladick, Hladick, Hladick, Hladick
A four-Hladick item now graces our ever-growing MULTIPLICITY OF
MONIKERS COLLECTION. The collection includes research papers and
books published by co-authors who share the same last name. This
remarkable addition to the collection was sent in by investigator
YANN BASSAGLIA:
"L'OdyssŽe du Vivant" by Claude-Marcel Hladik,
Annette Hladik, Jean Hladick, and Marie Hladick, in
"Ellipses," 128 pages, ISBN 2-7298-1147-8.
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2003-12-14 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT: Elf Sparks
Each month we select for your special attention a research report
that seems especially worth a close read. Your librarian will
enjoy being asked (loudly, so other library patrons can hear it)
for a copy. Here is this month's Pick-of-the-Month:
"Lightning Electric Field Intensity at High Altitudes:
Inferences for Production of Elves," V. A. Rakov and
W.G. Tuni, Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 108,
no. D20, October 2003. (Thanks to Tom Gill for bringing
this to our attention.) The authors are at the University
of Florida, Gainesville.
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2003-12-15 BURSTS OF HotAIR: Again and again (and again)
Here's some of what's new on our web site since last month's mini-
AIR came out. See the whole list by clicking "WHAT'S NEW" at the
web site, or go to:
==> The Psychology of Repetitive Reading
==> NOBEL THOUGHTS: Joseph Murray on Breakfast
==> The Psychology of Repetitive Reading
==> Solution to last month's puzzler
==> The Psychology of Repetitive Reading
==> New members of the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists.
THESE, AND MORE, ARE ON HOTAIR AT
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2003-12-16 MAY WE RECOMMEND: On the Roof, Down the Drain
ON THE ROOF
"Snow on Motor Vehicle Roofs: An Informal Look," John W. Trinkaus,
Psychological Reports, vol. 92, no. 3, part 2, June 2003, pp.
1227-8. The 2003 Ig Nobel Literature Prize winner reports that:
Following a snowstorm, a viewing of 4,347 moving
noncommercial motor vehicles, which apparently had been
outside during a storm, showed about 65% had roofs which
had not been cleared of snow deposits -- with vans
outnumbering cars by about 2 to 1.
DOWN THE DRAIN
"The Case for Evidence-Based Toilet Training," Edward R.
Christophersen, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine,
vol. 157, December 2003, pp. 1153-4. (Thanks to Kristine Danowski
for bringing this to our attention.)
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2003-12-17 AIRhead Events
==> For details and updates see
==> Want to host an event? 617-491-4437.
==>
CALTECH, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA -- TUES, JAN 27, 2004
AAAS ANNUAL MEETING, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- FRI, FEB 13, 2004
WESTERN WASHINGTON U., BELLINGHAM, WA -- TUES, FEB 17, 2004
ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND
NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK IG NOBEL TOUR -- MARCH 10-21, 2004
Partial list of events:
Thu Mar 11: Oxford
Fri Mar 12: Nottingham
Mon Mar 15: Glasgow
Tue Mar 16: Exeter
Wed Mar 17: Manchester
Thu Mar 18: London
Sat Mar 20: Birmingham
COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY PRESIDENTS -- MAY 1 or 2 or 3, 2004
WASHINGTON, DC
ASSOCIATION FOR INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH -- WED, JUNE 2,2004
ANNUAL MEETING, BOSTON, MA
AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK TOUR -- AUG 2004
[Tentatively scheduled].
ALPBACH TECHNOLOGY FORUM, AUSTRIA -- AUG 26-28, 2004
ANNUAL IG NOBEL PRIZE CEREMONY -- THURS, SEP. 30, 2004
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
IG INFORMAL LECTURES 2004 -- SAT, OCTOBER 2, 2004
MIT
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2003-12-18 How to Subscribe to AIR (*)
Here's how to subscribe to the magnificent bi-monthly print
journal The Annals of Improbable Research (the real thing, not
just the little bits of overflow material you've been reading in
this newsletter).
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BACK ISSUES are available, too:
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purchased at same time: $6 each
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Send payment (US bank check, or international money order, or
Visa, Mastercard or Discover info) to:
Annals of Improbable Research (AIR)
PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA
617-491-4437 FAX:617-661-0927
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2003-12-19 Our Address (*)
Annals of Improbable Research (AIR)
PO Box 380853, Cambridge, MA 02238 USA
617-491-4437 FAX:617-661-0927
EDITORIAL: marca@chem2.harvard.edu
SUBSCRIPTIONS: air@improbable.com
WEB SITE:
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2003-12-20 Please Forward/Post This Issue! (*)
Please distribute copies of mini-AIR (or excerpts!) wherever
appropriate. The only limitations are: A) Please indicate that the
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------------- mini-AIRheads -------------
EDITOR: Marc Abrahams (marca@chem2.harvard.edu)
MINI-PROOFREADER AND PICKER OF NITS (before we introduce the last
few at the last moment): Wendy Mattson
WWW EDITOR/GLOBAL VILLAGE IDIOT: Amy Gorin
(airmaster@improbable.com)
COMMUTATIVE EDITOR: Stanley Eigen (eigen@neu.edu)
ASSOCIATIVE EDITOR: Mark Dionne
DISTRIBUTIVE EDITOR: Robin Abrahams
CO-CONSPIRATORS: Alice Shirrell Kaswell, Gary Dryfoos, Ernest
Ersatz, S. Drew
MAITRE DE COMPUTATION: Jerry Lotto
AUTHORITY FIGURES: Nobel Laureates Dudley Herschbach, Sheldon
Glashow, William Lipscomb, Richard Roberts
(c) copyright 2003, Annals of Improbable Research
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2003-12-21 How to Receive mini-AIR, etc. (*)
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